Ensuring the Next Generation of Analytical Experts (AAPS PharmSci 360)

Hollie Barton, senior director, Chromatographic Services, for the PPD clinical research business of Thermo Fisher Scientific, spoke with Pharmaceutical Technology® (BioPharm International®) at AAPS PharmSci 360 on the need for training the current and the new generation of analytical experts for the bio/pharma industry. With the emergence and growth of newer modalities of therapeutics, such as cell and gene therapies, messenger RNA-based and other nucleic acid-based therapeutics, and more advanced forms of antibodies, to name a few, the industry has been feeling the void of a lack in technical and analytic expertise (1). Barton highlights at least one approach toward filling that void and ensuring the future of analytical expertise.

“It used to be, when folks joined the BioA labs, they went through what was referred to as a new hire training, where they were just exposed to safety, GLP [good laboratory practice], the basics. What we're seeing now is an [addition] of trainers directly associated with functional teams they're supporting. These trainers are actual lab scientists who are coming in, and the first things that they're doing is exposing our folks to protocols, methodology, therapeutic areas, and helping them to understand exactly what they're working on,” Barton explains.

By having these in-house trainers available to staff, she continues, the staff are being advanced at a much quicker rate. “We're also seeing a lot of mentoring and one-on-one training that is being provided to get everybody where they need to be as quickly as possible,” Barton remarks.

AAPS PharmSci 360 ran Oct. 22–25 in Orlando, Fl.

View Barton’s video interviews on analytical challenges in meeting turnaround times and automation advances.

Reference

1. Mirasol, F. Biologics Testing Highlights Need for Analytical Skills. Pharm. Technol. 2022, 46 (1), 38–40.